MAPLETON – Council here received two farm severance applications – at 6540 Sideroad 16 and 6852 Sideroad 15 – during the regular meeting of council on April 9.
The proposal for the property on Sideroad 15 is to sever a 0.7 hectare (1.7 acre) rural residential parcel with an existing house from a 41 hectare (101 acre) farm.
The 31 hectare (77 acre) rural property on Sideroad 16 is near the Conestogo Lake Conservation Area and includes a house, an implement shed and silo. The proposed severed parcel is one hectare (2.47 acres).
According to a report from the township planning department, both retained lots are large enough to function as a significant part of the overall farm and removing the surplus dwellings from the farms does not make the retained land difficult or inefficient to farm.
“The amount of good farmland retained with the surplus house is kept to a minimum size needed for residential purposes [and] the surplus residence is inhabitable and not expected to be demolished by future owner[s]” in both instances, the report states.
Severance – A 1.7-acre residential parcel is to be severed from the farm property at 6852 Side Road 15, after Mapleton council voted unanimously in favour of the application. Image from council agenda
The retained lots will be rezoned to prohibit residential use, and for the Sideroad 16 property, will be consolidated with other land holdings of Mae Dawn Farm Inc.
The township’s building department reviewed both applications and had no comments regarding the Sideroad 15 property. On Sideroad 16, the septic and well location on the severed parcel must be confirmed. The public works department added that on Sideroad 15, a driveway access permit is required on retained lands, and on Sideroad 16 driveway access and drainage reapportionment is required.
The fire department had not yet reviewed either application at the time of the meeting.
Council did not have any questions about either application, and unanimously voted in support of them both.
The County of Wellington later approved both applications (on May 9), with an ammendment on the Sideroad 16 application to reduce the size of the severed lot from one hectare to half a hectare (1.2 acres).
